Antibacterial efficacy of 2-citronellyl benzimidazole nanoencapsulation with chitosan-tripolyphosphate and casein micellar coatings

Abstract

Benzimidazole shows antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi. Nanoencapsulation of 2-citronellyl benzimidazole is a technique that packages the drug’s active ingredient, offering the advantage of its controlled release. The 2-citronellyl benzimidazole nanoencapsulation was constructed from casein micelles and chitosan-tripolyphosphate using an ionic cross-linking method. The nanocapsules were characterized using a particle size analyzer (PSA), a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometer, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while the release profile and amount of the encapsulated active compound were determined using an ultraviolet (UV)-Vis spectrophotometer. The 2-citronellyl benzimidazole encapsulated by chitosan-tripolyphosphate showed particle diameters of 10.700 nm, 81.110 nm, and 159.410 nm at 10%, 50%, and 90% magnification, respectively. The casein micelles had an average particle size of 1017 nm. The nanocapsule diameters with and without freeze drying were 3.293 nm and 1017 nm, respectively. The presence of an imine group with a wave number of 1651.72 cm−1 on the FT-IR spectra of this band indicated that the active compound was coated. The nanocapsule surface morphology was trapezoid with a rough and uneven surface. The nanocapsular efficiencies using the casein micellar and chitosan-tripolyphosphate coatings were 56.763% and 79.97%, respectively. The kinetics release of 2-citronellyl benzimidazole showed a half-life of 86.63 minutes with a 60-minute stirring time. The nanocapsule’s antibacterial activity showed the greatest inhibition zones at 2.3 mm and 10 mm for S. aureus, 4.7 mm and 8.3 mm for E. coli, and at 6.7 mm for S. thypi.